Why Does My Bird Hate Bird Toys?

Last Updated on October 1, 2023 by Mitch Rezman

How the heck should I know? Birds like people have their own likes & dislikes but with birds, it can get a little more complicated. Did you know that even the time of day can affect how your bird accepts items in its cage?

If you put a new toy in your bird’s cage at sundown, it may cause the new item to cast “scary shadows” and your bird may be slow to engage the new toy.

There are a lot of reasons your bird might not readily embrace something new. It could be the color of a single bead. The shape of something hanging.

What’s important is before you just hang something new in the cage, unless our bird readily accepts everything new, is to “play” with the new toy. Talking in a high voice “to” the toy makes it interesting to you. If it’s interesting to you, chances are it’ll be more interesting to your bird. The image below helps make that point, doesn’t it?

“Hi mom – this toy sure IS fun to play with”

Your bird wants to play with your toys because you always make them look so interesting to your bird. Like many things that hold true for birds, they want what they think you like – it’s the flock mentality. So before you take that toy out of the box we just shipped you and place it in the cage, take a minute to take ownership of the toy to help your bird think it’s wonderful.

So as to not drone on and on your Sunday, about all the proper ways to introduce and all the proper types of toys that are appropriate for every species of bird, let me leave you with this thought. Think of bird toys not only for foraging opportunities, education & engagement.

Think of them representing “nature’s canopy”.

Toys represent the leaves of the tree your bird would be living in the wild.

We advocate having so many toys in your bird’s cage, you can’t see the bird. This canopy of toys helps your bird feel hidden and secure (from predators), for the same reasons you feel a little safer when you close the blinds at bedtime.

Mitch Rezman
Vice President,
Windy City Parrot, Inc
Simply Everything for Pet Birds – Since 1993